KoBold Metals has officially commenced the development of the Mingomba Copper Project in Zambia, aiming to bring it into production by the early 2030s. The company is now fully advancing the permitting process, with key shaft-sinking operations expected to begin in early 2027.

Zambia is courting global investors, including from the United States, as it aims to more than triple its copper output to 3 million metric tons by 2031, its mines minister said on Tuesday.Africa’s second-largest copper producer after Democratic Republic of Congo is seen as one of the countries Washington is keen to partner with as the US escalates efforts to loosen China’s grip on materials crucial to advanced manufacturing.

Zambia is seeking global mining investment to increase its copper production to about 3 million tonnes by 2031. The country produced around 890,000 tonnes in 2025, missing its initial one-million-ton target. Officials say discussions are ongoing with international investors to expand the mining sector.

Zambia's mining minister said on Tuesday that the country was actively attracting global investors, including those from the US, with the goal of more than tripling copper production to 3 million mt by 2031.Zambia's copper production last year was 890,346 mt, falling short of the annual production target of 1 million mt. Zambia is Africa's second-largest copper producer, behind only the DRC. Copper is a key material for EVs and renewable energy infrastructure and is critical to the transition to a low-carbon economy.

(Bloomberg) -- Flooding severed the Democratic Republic of Congo’s main copper-export corridor after a key bridge collapsed just south of the Zambian border, disrupting shipments from the world’s second-largest producer of the metal. Transporters should use alternative routes, as the damage has affected traffic flow to and from the Kasumbalesa border with Zambia, the Zambia Revenue Authority said in a notice on Sunday.

Zambia, Africa’s second-biggest copper producer, will use larger-than-expected mining revenues to start a stabilization fund this year, a senior treasury official said, ensuring the government has a buffer when a red-hot rally in the metal fades.